Slack is a great tool for remote teams and it has many features that make it easy to use. Most of us have used Slack for work, but did you know that you can now play games in Slack with your team too?

We've rounded up our favorite fun Slack games below so you can give them a try today. There's no reason why you should feel alone all day when there are so many ways to stay connected and have fun from wherever you work.

Work + play = a remote team’s best friend

In case you are questioning games in a professional environment, we looked at the scientific side of this in our article on why psychologists recommend playing games as a team. 

With the right tools, games on Slack can be used to strengthen your team bond and increase communication between co-workers. We suggest you try out different kinds of Slack games that can be played by a large group or just a few people at once.

Choosing the best Slack games for your team

Once you have a few ideas, it's time to start testing the games out. The first thing you should do is make sure that the Slack game is appropriate for your team and company culture. Some of these Slack games are more fun than others, so pick some that everyone can get into. 

How is the general vibe on the team? Are they likely to find some of the fun and joke elements in the Slack game offensive? Is there anything else, in particular, that might be off-limits in our workplace (such as politics), or would cause people to feel uncomfortable?

What are their interests? Do any of them share similar interests with one another and enjoy competing against each other, or does anyone hate playing games because they're not good at them?

Are there any past or upcoming special occasions? Has the team had a big fail or win that can be used to either cheer up everyone or take the celebration one step further?

We’ve hand-picked a collection of the best and most fun Slack games that you can play today.

This Slack App lets you and your team play weekly trivia together.

Here, you can play classic games like Trivia, Caption This, and Would You Rather together on Slack.

This is an interactive chat game where you play the “code name” game with your team.

This Slack App allows you to play various games like rock paper scissors, and trivia.

The Slack App GameMonk has 3 types of games that you can play

Categories - In 60 seconds name as many categories from a given list as you can

Giphy - You see a GIF and have to guess the hashtags 

This Slack app is a game record tracker bot for pong, chess, pool, and tic-tac-toe that lets you challenge your teammates and then keeps records with a leaderboard in Slack.

Play simple and fast dice games with this fun Slack game.

A fun Slack game to play chess with your work buddies without leaving Slack.

Gamify your team's music by turning your Slack channel into an interactive jukebox. Here you can add tracks directly from Spotify.

Never forget an anniversary with this Slack App that reminds you to celebrate the precious days.

Not directly a game, but you can gamify and make your Slack communication more playful by introducing your Bitmoji avatar.

Use fun Slack games to celebrate wins, recognize team members and have fun

Slack games are a great way to celebrate wins, recognize team members and have fun in your Slack chat. They're also a great way to get people to talk and interact with ease. 

If you have a new employee on your team, it's vital to integrate them in a friendly and welcoming manner. You can even use games as icebreakers during meetings if you need help getting things started—just make sure that anyone who doesn't want to participate won't be forced into doing so.

It's easy and fun to set up a range of games on Slack for your whole team

Slack games are a great way to build rapport and trust with your team. They can be used to celebrate wins, recognize team members and have fun.

Games in Slack can also be a great tool for building a sense of belonging and community that is integral to the success of any remote work culture. 

Which games have you tried on Slack? Share it and tag us on LinkedIn over at Doozyhq! 

Unsplash, Pexels, Giphy, JukeBot, BirthdayBot, BitMoji, ChessBot, DiceBot, PlayPlay.io, Ricotta, Code Names, Team Recess, Water Cooler Trivia

How To Use Slack Games For Remote Team Building (11 Slack Games Examples)

When you welcome a new employee to your team, it can be challenging to get them up to speed. You have so much information that you need to share—from how things work in your company to basic information about their job responsibilities and day-to-day tasks. 

That’s why having a well-thought-out plan for onboarding remote employees is crucial. Imagine if you could get all of this information out of the way before they even walked through the door. You’d save time, money, and energy because there would be fewer surprises later on down the road when they started working full-time at your company.

This is why we’ve put together a comprehensive 8-step plan for you to nail your remote onboarding fast and efficiently.

When your company has hired your remote employee, you need to be sure to introduce yourself (once more) and explain what the next steps are a couple of days before the new hire kicks things off. This simple approach shows your new hire that you are expecting them, are well structured, and really care about them.

Before the first-day starts, you need to make sure you have everything you need and are prepared for any questions.

Make sure your schedule is planned out in advance. You don't want your new hire to feel they are not receiving valuable information or input that does not match their need for the first days. If anything happens that causes you to change plans, notify everyone involved as soon as possible so they can adjust their schedules too.

Make sure everyone on your team has all of the information they need beforehand too—not just the onboardee. For example: What do they need access to? Who is going to be part of their meetings and calls? And where should those meetings take place? You may also want some information about local events, customs, or culture; this could help ease them into an unfamiliar remote environment more quickly.

The next thing you'll want to do is get your remote employee's system set up. This means making sure they have access to the right tools and apps, as well as all the data and people they need in order to do their job.

For instance, if an employee is tasked with doing some research on a topic and collecting data for it, then it makes sense for them to have access to relevant research and data tools.

If your remote employee is new to the company and doesn't have a lot of experience with your business, then you may want to consider giving them access to some of your internal documentation or further training on your industry. This can help them get up-to-speed much faster than if they were expected to simply figure everything out on their own.

Step 4) Walk through your handbook (if you have one)

If you have a handbook, take some time to walk through it with your new hire. This will give them a sense of what the rest of their experience will be like, and help them get up to speed faster. 

In case you need help with your Remote Employee Handbook read our Guide “The 10 Best Remote Employee Handbook Examples You Can Find Online” to get yourself started.

Step 5) Plan your onboarding calls for every team member and department in advance

One of the most important things to remember when onboarding a remote employee is that it's not just about the employee. It's also about their colleagues and team members, who might not know much about them yet. It’s important to build those connections from day one to ensure the foundation for a great team culture is established.

When you're setting up a meeting with your new employee, make sure to include as many people from their department as possible and if they work directly with other departments, invite those too. 

Also, give those meetings room for a casual and informal chat by having them play games or do remote activities together. This increases the social glue just like you would have a casual chat in the hallway of the office.

As a manager, it's important to let your remote employees know who they're working with and what the structure of your company looks like. Sharing how each team works is one of the most important things you can do to help new hires feel comfortable and invested in their work. 

Your onboarding buddy should be someone who is familiar with the current team members and comfortable explaining their role to a new hire. They shouldn't be directly responsible for managing your employee, so they can spend time helping out without feeling like they're neglecting their own responsibilities.

This is how the fully remote company Giant Swarm implements this

“We pay a lot of attention to our onboarding. One part is a designated onboarding buddy who supports you in navigating Giant Swarm in the beginning.”

You'll want to spend some time setting up expectations for what an onboarding buddy does well before the start date arrives—and then keep those expectations consistent moving forward until your new hire becomes more familiar with their role at work (this should probably happen within 6 months). 

Having clear expectations helps prevent confusion later on down the line when things get stressful or overwhelming; no one likes feeling confused by what's expected from them!

Step 8) Use software that helps you automate tasks

As your team grows, you'll need to use software that helps you automate tasks. You can use it to manage communication and documents, as well as manage your team.

It should be easy to use and allow employees to work remotely on their own. This will help keep things consistent across all employees, regardless of location or job title.

How to onboard a new remote employee checklist

Here’s your checklist with all the things you need to consider for your new hire

Make sure they have a buddy to help them.

Make sure they know the culture and structure of the company (e.g., how does your team communicate, what is your remote-friendly office hours policy, how does work get assigned).

Make sure they know what is expected of them (e.g., deliverables for each project).

Make sure they have all the resources they need (e.g., access to your team’s Slack channel, log in details, etc.).

Patience is key when onboarding remote employees

Onboarding remote employees is not as simple as it seems. It takes a lot of time, effort, and patience to get your remote workers settled in their new jobs. Before you start the onboarding process, make sure you have an idea about what kind of person will be joining the team. 

This will help you determine what type of training needs to be done for them based on their skill set and experience level. You should also create a checklist so that every step of the process is followed by everyone involved, including HR and department representatives.

How did your last onboarding go? Let us know by tagging us on LinkedIn over at Doozyhq!

How To Onboard Remote Employees Efficiently In 8 Steps (+ Checklist)

Onboarding is a critical part of making sure that new employees have the tools they need to be successful. It also helps them feel supported and connected during their first few weeks on the job. That's why so many companies are now using onboarding buddies or buddy programs to make sure their new hires get off on the right foot.

One of the biggest challenges that new employees face is feeling like they’re a part of the team. An onboarding buddy can help with this by introducing you to more senior members of your team, letting you know about company events, and helping you get connected with other people that have been in the organization for longer. 

It is also important for new hires to feel comfortable asking their manager questions about how things are done at your company. An onboarding buddy can help give context on what might seem like an odd or inconsistent practice, explain why things are done a certain way (even if it seems bizarre), and provide advice on navigating situations where things aren't working out as expected.

At first glance these may seem like small things—they’re not. These interactions make it much easier for new hires to adjust to their role since they feel more and more connected by understanding the nuances of the company that are not easy to write down in guidelines.

An onboarding buddy has a wide range of tasks. They can help you learn how to use the tools you need for your job, get familiar with your company culture and values, and troubleshoot technical issues. 

Typically an onboarding buddy will set up regular calls with the new hire and check in on a regular basis. The topics that then rise out of these calls can become the tasks for the buddy.

Onboarding buddies are not meant as replacements for managers, rather they're there as additional support when needed so new employees can focus on getting up to speed on their roles and responsibilities instead of having to figure out everything by themselves.

You should choose your onboarding buddy based on the following criteria:

Someone with experience in the company culture. This person will be able to provide you with an insider's perspective of how things work at your new workplace. They'll also be able to answer any questions you may have about things like office etiquette and when/how to talk to coworkers.


Someone who is friendly and proactive. Having a proactive personality can help facilitate communication between yourself and other employees in order for them to get to know you better.


Someone who already has a good understanding of the organization's goals, as well as its mission statement. This person should know what it takes for someone new to succeed in their role at this organization because they might have gone through similar experiences themselves before.

How are companies using onboarding buddy programs for remote workers?

The fully remote company Passion.io has a unique onboarding process that strongly focuses on a personal connection so that the new hire has a feeling of safety and belonging from day one. They refer to managers as Career Coaches, again showing how much they value integration, growth, and personal development throughout all stages.  

Buffer has a role buddy that is assigned to a new hire. This person is from the same team and helps them get on track.

GitLab has a Buddy Program that ticks all the mentioned tasks and is furthermore evaluated by the new hire via a specialized Buddy survey after some months. They offer an E-Mail Template to streamline their communication and give everyone involved full transparency.

Onboarding buddy programs help you make sure new employees have a great experience at their new job

If you’re looking to start your own buddy program, it’s a good idea to start small. The goal should be to make sure that your new employees feel like they belong and are supported during their first few weeks at the company. Bring on two or three people who are willing to commit some of their time each week with one or two new hires and see how it goes!

How have you been onboarded in your current job? Let us know and tag us on LinkedIn over at Doozyhq!

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How To Use Slack Games For Remote Team Building (11 Slack Games Examples)

How To Onboard Remote Employees Efficiently In 8 Steps (+ Checklist)

What Is An Onboarding Buddy?

Connect With Your .css-1jfa32o{background:#fdcdae;}Remote Team

Team socials, employee onboarding, company all-hands. Make them awesome with Doozy.

Icebreakers

Games and quizzes

Event templates

Custom activities

Video built in

Event planner

Shared library

Analytics

Whiteboard

Premium experiences

Recurring rituals

Slack Integration

How To Use Slack Games For Remote Team Building (11 Slack Games Examples)

How To Onboard Remote Employees Efficiently In 8 Steps (+ Checklist)

What Is An Onboarding Buddy?

Connect With Your
Remote
Team

Team socials, employee onboarding,
company all-hands. Make them awesome with Doozy.